"[W]hen it comes to ways to improve the global financial sector—and ultimately the global economy—Canada offers a model that’s worth consideration," writes Scotiabank's President and CEO Richard E. Waugh.

"Generally unpopular in Washington, trade is now an orphan," write COA’s Eric Farnsworth and Michelle Morton for Poder magazine. “Pending trade agreements manifestly in the U.S. interest are languishing.” Solutions to jump-start the ailing hemispheric economy include conclusion of a trans-Pacific trade agreement.

By striking free-trade agreements with Colombia and Peru, "Canada is taking a leadership role in the logical and inevitable move toward freer trade," writes Canadian Senator Pamela Wallin.

"Canada should accept the reality that Mexico is likely to become a much more significant player in North America," writes journalist David Crane. In Embassy, he highlights the reasons why Washington pays an increasing amount of attention to its southern neighbor as well as growing Mexican-Canadian trade ties.

COA’s Director of Energy Policy Nicole Spencer says building a hemispheric energy partnership would be “smart politics” for the Obama administration. Cooperation on energy and climate change issues now could pave the way for enhanced regional relations.

AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini writes in El Diario/LaPrensa that during Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva’s White House visit he advocated for the continued flow of free trade to confront the global economic crisis, a stance removed from Lula’s political beginnings as a trade union leader. (en español)

"The United States must recognize the truism that our nation’s own security and economic strength is intrinsically tied to a stable and prosperous Mexico," writes the former ambassador to Mexico. Fully funding the Merida Initiative is a critical priority.